Jen’s Gem: God’s in control.

This past week, my lawn was diagnosed with…grubs. Yeah, I know. Not exactly the word you want to see on a beautiful Sunday morning. After a month of “it could be, it might be” false readings from my lawn care company, my tried and true landscaper made the call. “You got grubs.”

I’ve watched my gorgeous lawn deteriorate over the summer but attributed it to lack of watering given my hectic schedule. However, when I raked up the grass on the side of my driveway and could see clear through to the Southern Hemisphere, I knew something was up.

Within 48 hours, the remedy was in motion. Grub control. Aeration. Seeded. Now, we wait. Oh, and we water.

Grubs. Tiny little creatures that destroy your lawn from the roots. They eat away these roots until the little blades of grass can do nothing but give up. One by one, blade by blade until your entire lawn is trashed.

This got me to thinking about a Bible verse that was the premise of a sermon I had to deliver for my Bible college class last term.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

These little grubs came to steal and kill and destroy my lawn. They had one purpose and one purpose only – to make a hot mess out of my enviable landscape and cause me to worry that no one would want to buy my house.

My response to their dastardly plot? No way Jose! I’m not going to lay down and let these bugs – which are smaller than a pea, destroy my hard work and steal the joy I get from gazing out on my property. Hit the road grub!

The plot of these pests is identical to the plot of the devil and his evil peeps. Their main purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy and they will stop at nothing…NOTHING… to accomplish this goal. They will eat away at your very core until you can do nothing but give up.

It started with Adam and Eve and it is continuing today. You see, Lucifer (pre-Satan) was so angry for getting booted out of heaven, that he vowed to do everything he could to destroy God’s creation – you and me. He basks in being able to separate us from our Father – breaking up our relationship and leaving us on our own.

He loves it when we blame God for our misfortunes. He loves it even more when we hate each other, are divided, gossip, criticize, judge, give up, fail, become confused, kill, steal, and deny the existence of God and His Son, Jesus.

Just like those little grubs in my lawn love it when they see a once lush, thick lawn turn to a pile of lifeless, weakened dirt, the devil is basking in his glory – doing the happy dance – as he sees the hot mess our world is in right now.

Here’s the good news. The devil won’t win. In fact, he’s already lost and he knows it. But like any defeated foe, he’s going to try to take out as many people with him as he can. That’s what’s going on today. His time is limited. There’s only a few minutes left in the fourth quarter and he’s upped his game. He is sending in his star players to finish it up.

You may be thinking – gee, thanks Jennifer for depressing me on a Sunday morning with this message of doom and gloom. Not exactly aligned with your “Elevate the Day” branding. Hold up!  Let’s look at the second part of John 10:10:

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

The “I” above is Jesus. And look what his purpose is – “that they (us) may have life and have it to the full.” It doesn’t take a Bible scholar to recognize that this is the polar opposite of Satan’s purpose who comes to kill. This is good news people! No – actually it’s great news!

God’s only Son was sent to this earth so that we could have an abundant, healthy, prosperous, love-filled life. If we’re not experiencing this, guess who’s at fault? Not God. Oh sure, we want to blame Him, but the fault lies elsewhere. How do I know this? Read the first part of John 10:10 again. Then, when you’re ready to point the finger at God for your troubles, read it again.

This week, I’d like to encourage you to identify your “grubs” – the areas of your life that have been stolen, killed, or destroyed. Make a list of those ailments, lost jobs, broken marriages, dwindling bank accounts, or children gone astray. Take the list, tear it up, and proclaim with every fiber of your being – “Not today Satan. Not today.”

Then, call upon the Master grub controller – your Father in heaven – and ask Him for help. While all of your grubs may not disappear overnight, they will eventually die off if you get the right grub control (God’s Word), apply it every day, and trust that God is faithful.

Put your grubs in God’s hands. They don’t have a chance.